The Fighter
by Radiorox
Summary: What if Harm fought for Mac? - One Shot. This takes place just after 'A Merry Little Christmas' and a day before New Years Eve. The idea came up from a video on Youtube with the song "The Fighter" from Keith Urban. Along with watching 'A Merry Little Christmas' when Mac says that he never fought her. Challenge accepted. ;)


Title: The Fighter.

AN: This takes place just after 'A Merry Little Christmas' and a day before New Years Eve.

Synopsis: What if Harm fought for Mac? - One Shot.

The idea came up from a video on Youtube with the song "The Fighter" from Keith Urban.  
Along with watching 'A Merry Little Christmas' when Mac says that he never fought her. Challenge accepted. ;)

" _What if I fall?_

I won't let you fall

 _What if I cry?_

I promise I'll never make you cry

 _And if I get scared?_

I'll hold you tighter

When they're tryna get to you, baby, I'll be the fighter"  
Keith Urban - "The Fighter"

"I'm glad that's over." Harm said, as he held the courtroom door open for Mac to pass through.

Mac nodded in kind, the case had been a doozie and one that she was happy to put to bed. "You losing your touch, Navy?" She admonished although Harm seriously had no way of winning the defense. It was a slam dunk case for the prosecution.

"I think the Admiral put me on that case to teach me a lesson." He followed her down the long hallway and through the double glass doors into the bullpen and then to her office. "After today, I may beg for my job back at the CIA."

That comment had Mac stopping suddenly, causing Harm to barrel into her. He used the hand not holding his briefcase to steady her. "Woah, you alright?"

She turned and looked up at him, eyes filled with a look of sadness and fear, a mixture he hadn't seen since they'd made it out of the Chaco. "You want to go back to the CIA?"

"Sometimes I miss it, yeah… I felt useful." Truth was, he missed the action, the unknown. It was akin to being a fighter pilot and an adrenaline rush that JAG no longer provided. At least not while the Admiral was saddling him with every mundane scrap of paper he could find. "Don't look at me that way, Mac."

With a start, she turned away from him and placed her briefcase on the desk. Rapidly, she began taking folders out and replacing them with others. "If you went back you'd lose it all again, the Navy, your friends…" _Me._ She wanted to say but knew better. It wouldn't be the first time she'd nearly let her carefully veiled emotions slip. Dear God, was he planning on leaving again? Despite their shaky relationship, the last thing Mac wanted was him out of her life. She needed him there, in any capacity - it was the last bit of sanity that she had.

Harm studied her for a brief moment. In a word, Mac looked heartbroken and nothing like the woman who had told him a few months prior that they would never work out. He let out the breath he was holding and shook his head. "I really do need operating instructions when it comes to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just that you said we'd never work out and then leave me 17 messages and now you seem upset that I may join the CIA again. Why do you care?"

The statement sunk in and suddenly Mac felt very uncomfortable as if the oxygen in her office was being sucked out by his very presence. They hadn't talked about Paraguay or the aftermath only fell into a status quo much as they had twice prior when other situations had pulled them apart. "We're friends, Harm. I really don't want to worry about you working for the CIA. I know they used you as a field agent a time or two."

"And you said you and Webb don't talk about me." He couldn't spread the satisfied grin that spread on his lips; the grin which spread wider as Mac uncomfortably shifted in front of him. "Have dinner with me tonight. I could use your help sifting through the motions that the Admiral tossed at me. We could catch up."

Mac glanced up from her folders and look into his eyes which had taken on a sea-green shade. He seemed sincere and enthusiastic. Had it been another point in time, she would have accepted, taken the olive branch and tried to mend their fracture friendship. But, the words came out before she could stop them and Mac would have to deal with the memory of the sadness that replaced the sincerity in his eyes. "I have plans with Webb tonight."

"Oh." Although he tried not to seem upset, Harm couldn't help it. Rumors of Mac's involvement with Webb had run rampant during his time in the agency. For a company that lived on secrets, their scuttlebutt was akin to high school drama. "Rain check then?"

"Yeah." She watched him walk away, shoulders slightly hunched as he stepped out of her office and stood in the bullpen. He seemed to stare at his former office and then disappear out of her sight, no doubt to the supply closet that was assigned to him. The arrogant jet jock was gone and Mac found herself missing him.

For most of the day, Harm kept to himself, declining lunch with Bud. He managed to make a dent on the tower of files on his desk and went in search of coffee only to bump into Mac. She was on her cellphone and from the looks of her smile, having a pleasing conversation. She stepped out of the bullpen and made her way to the elevators, oblivious to the fact that Harm was watching her. "Bud, where's the Colonel going?" He asked Bud Roberts.

"The Colonel secured early, sir." Bud offered, following Harm's gaze. "She didn't exactly tell me why."

Minutes later, Harm stood in the break room leaning against one of the cabinets while he stirred sugar into his coffee. He stared down at the brew as if it held the answers he was seeking. _Things are never going to work out between us._ Mac's words rattled around his mind as they had for several months. He'd long since stopped being angry at her and now he only longed to forget that night altogether. The flight back to Washington had been hell and he could feel the tension between he and Mac increasing their divide. _Things are never going to work out between us._

There was just _one_ problem, he never fought her and she'd called him on it. "Why didn't I fight her?" Harm said out loud, coming to the realization that the last few months had been filled with anger and heartache for no apparent reason. He should have fought Mac, stood his ground and told her the truth: that he loved her and had for quite some time. "I'm such an idiot."

"No, Commander you are just hard headed." Admiral AJ Chegwidden said as he stepped into the break room. "I'm afraid to ask but, why the introspection?"

Normally, Harm wouldn't have responded, merely shirked off the question. This time, something clicked and he only wished he could have turned back time. "You asked me once what I was willing to give up to have the Colonel, sir."

AJ folded his arms across his chest and leveled the younger officer with a look that could kill. He wasn't sure what had happened in Paraguay and merely got the cliff notes but, whatever had happened drove a wedge between Harm and Mac. The tension was back in the office despite the two being cordial to each other. It reminded him of the fallout after Mac's failed wedding. "Do you have an answer?"

"I gave up everything and it wasn't enough but, I think I know why. Permission to secure early, sir?"

Despite his better judgement, AJ conceded. "Granted and whatever this is or isn't with the Colonel, just keep it out of my office."

"Aye, sir."

An hour and a half later, Harm found himself at Mac's doorstep. "Harm? What are you doing here?" When she'd heard a knock on the door Mac expected it to be Clay, not Harm. "Come in."

She stepped aside and let him walk in noticing that he was no longer in uniform but wearing a black suit with a black shirt whose top buttons had been left opened. In a word, he looked _sexy_ and Mac wondered what woman he'd been wooing that night. Maybe it was the mysterious Miss Grace that she knew had been leaving him messages. The thought of him seeing someone made her heart sink and yet, she knew she couldn't have it both ways. She was with Clay and they were working on a relationship - she didn't have a right to be jealous in regards to Harm.

"These are for you." Mac hadn't noticed that he'd brought flowers in fact, she'd been too busy admiring his attire to realize the lovely bouquet of long stem red roses until he'd presented them to her. Before she had a chance to react to the gift, he leveled her with a request. "Don't go out with Webb. Have dinner with me tonight." The request left her floored and Mac's mouth opened and closed trying to come up with an answer. "I'm not taking _no_ for an answer."

And he wasn't. On the drive over he'd wondered what would happen if Webb was there. Harm was prepared to fight for her now, even if it meant coming to fists with the agent. He couldn't love Mac the way that he did and what was it that they said about relationships and stressful situations? They wouldn't last. He would be another in the long line of boyfriends that had no chance at keeping her heart. Harm had a history with her and with it an unrelenting feeling of love and desire.

"Clay will be here at any moment." She said, unwilling to argue with him or, worse, have both men come to fists over her. Mac remembered Australia and how Mic and Harm and fought. She knew it was over her and yet, couldn't forget the hurt that Harm had caused her.

Harm stepped close to her, bridging the gap until he was close enough to kiss her. He pulled her into his embrace noticing that she didn't object, merely came into his arms willingly. "I'm done playing the honorable card with you. I stayed away when you were marrying Mic because I thought he made you happy."

Mac furled her brow wondering what the hell had happened to the man that she knew, the one that stood still rather that step up when it came to his feelings for her. She placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating a million miles an hour, betraying the bravado he'd put on. "What are you doing, Harm?"

"Fighting for you." He bent his head down and captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss. When she didn't immediately pull away, he kissed her deeper, tongue tracing the seam of her lips and was granted entrance with a soft moan that he'd never heard from her before.

Mac lost herself in his kiss and her tongue eagerly stroked his own. All of the reasons why she'd told him that they would never work died that very moment. Each touch of his lips on hers brought to life a fire that she'd all but extinguished for him. She shifted, wrapping her arms around him and bringing his body close to hers. Mac longed to feel the hard planes of him against her and was surprised to feel just how much he desired her.

Her breath caught in her throat as one hand slid down, cupping her backside firmly and pressing her even closer to him. "Oh god, Harm." She managed to say once he broke the kiss in order to nuzzle a sensitive spot on the side of her neck. Mac held onto him as her legs threatened to give out when his tongue ran down the side of her neck stopping just above her clavicle.

Harm placed a soft kiss there before claiming her lips with his own again. "I love you, Sarah." He whispered against her lips and felt her breathe a sigh of relief. "I mean it, I love you and I am not letting him take you away from me." He looked down at her and that hazy look in her eyes of a woman that had been properly kissed.

"Don't worry, Rabb… I think Sarah is right where she wants to be." When Clay arrived at her apartment door, he was greeted with the sight of Harm and Mac kissing. It was only time, he knew, before Mac would come to her senses and he would lose her forever. This was all, as they say, for the moment.

They'd try to give it a shot and after several months Webb was hoping Mac wanted him enough to share his bed. It was better to come home to someone who cared rather than someone who simply kept his bed warm. "I guess this is my cue. Bye, Mac."

"Clay, wait." She stepped out of Harm's hold and followed Webb out to the hallway where he stood waiting for the elevator. "I care for you but...I love him." Mac offered, it was the only explanation she could muster. "I've always loved him."

Webb took her in his arms and held her for a moment before pressing his lips to her forehead. "I always knew this wouldn't last." From the corner of his eye he saw Harm stalking the hallway shooting a murderous look his way. It was about damned time. "Bye." And with that he stepped into the elevator and out of their lives.

Mac saw Harm standing in the hallway, a sentry silently promising to watch over her. She grinned at the look on his face, the serious creases and the murderous look he'd given Clay. Normally she hated the jealous act, it was a sign of insecurity that she abhorred in men. From Harm though, his neanderthal act was welcomed and kind of cute. There were a million and one conversations they should have had but, at the moment, she longed to be in Harm's arms again.

She took his hand in his and dragged him into her apartment, closing the door behind them as they came together once again. Mac lips found his and she reveled in the feeling, that consuming sensation that she'd never felt for any other man. It was the rumbling of her stomach that had him stopping her, his forehead resting against her own. "Hungry, Marine?"

"Famished." Although, she was much hungrier for him. "Just not for food."

He regarded her for the moment and the sexy tone her voice had taken. "I owe you a date." When her stomach rumbled again, he couldn't help but chuckle. "C'mon Mac, we can find a place down the block."

"Okay." She said on a huff, hating that her body had betrayed her. Whatever had made him respond like this she wanted to explore intimately. "Harm? Why did you do this?"

Harm shrugged and glanced over at the Christmas tree that she wouldn't take down until after the New Year. He recalled the argument they'd had when he asked her to vouch for him in order to secure a guardianship for Mattie. He hadn't realized the undertones of her words until they kept him up at night. Their conversation replayed in his head and it was then that he realized his fatal mistake.

' _Mac, I don't want to argue about us right now'_

' _There is no us.'_

' _Well, yeah, you made sure of that.'_

' _Well, you didn't fight me.'_

And she was right. He hadn't' fought for her, only assumed that in rescuing Mac he would automatically get the girl. "Because I messed up and, you were right, I didn't fight you. I let you slip away. I nearly lost you to someone else once, Mac. I'm not losing you again."

Mac's heart was beating so hard she was sure it would jump out of her chest. Everything she wanted was there just in front of her. "I have to admit, I like you when you're like this." She leaned in and kissed him again before taking his hand and dragging him out of her apartment.

"I never slept with, Webb." Mac admitted, hours later after dinner had led to desert and dessert had landed him in her bed. If his kisses had been wondrous, his love making was incredible. She lay in his arms, watching the mix of emotions cloud over his expressive eyes and the relief that finally settled. Much to her chagrin, she felt the same way - relieved. "It never felt right."

Harm didn't answer, merely leaned in and kissed her soundly. He tightened his hold on her and pulled her close as he felt himself drift to sleep. "Harm? What about Mattie?" Mac asked, concerned that he would leave her alone in his apartment. While it was relatively safe, it wasn't a smart move to leave a teenager alone.

"With Bud and Harriet." He supplied sleepily and reminded himself to properly thank his dear friends when he got the chance.

Mac couldn't help but chuckle. "You really did think this through, didn't you?"

He propped one eye open and placed kiss on the tip of her nose. "I told you Mac, I was going to fight for you."

"And if I would have resisted?"

With an indignant sigh, Harm opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbow. "Then I would have thrown you over my shoulder and whisked you away." He studied her amused gaze and the mirth that lit up her eyes. "And then gotten my ass kicked." When she didn't answer back, Harm settled himself against the pillow and pulled her to him. He was starting to drift off again when he heard Mac call his name. "Mmm?"

"I love you too." He heard her say as she settled against him, hand resting over his heart.

THE END.


End file.
